Hunting for Reckless Redemption
by half-soul57
Summary: A newly revived Hunter thrown into the world of Darkness and the Traveler's Light. With a new purpose and an unpayable debt, can a former bounty hunter with no mercy and no morals be turned into a adept Guardian sworn to protect the Light?


Tamara bolted up, gasping for air.

"Oh, thank the Light I found you!"

She looked around wildly, searching for whoever had spoken in such a strangely monotone, yet horribly cheerful voice. A small floating metal shape came gliding into her view, and a beam of light swept over her.

"Your Light was almost gone completely; I'm glad I could be here to find you."

"Who are you and what the hell is this "Light" you're talking about?" Despite her shock, she remembered her sharp tongue.

"Look, you've been dead a _long_ time, so there's going to be a lot of things you won't understand. I'm your Ghost, and we can skip other introductions, because unless I'm mistaken, that is definitely a sni-" The Ghost was cut off as a single bullet missed Tamara's skin by inches.

"Oh fuck, okay, I get it! Where should I go?!" Tamara was starting to go into a slight panic, especially when she went to use her legs and practically fell over. The Ghost had disappeared, and her chest felt tight. Had she been resurrected just to die again?

"Calm down, I'm still with you. Get over into that rusted building! Now!" Her new Ghost commanded her from somewhere inside her own head as a few more missed shots rang out across the empty wasteland.

She staggered walking forward, but with the encouragement of an impending attack, she managed to find it in her to run towards the destroyed hangar. Her Ghost popped back out once they got back inside. She spotted a rifle to her right and picked it up, pleased to find it fully loaded with ammunition nearby.

"Okay, this ship should work!" The Ghost floated over to a nearby jumpship and began scanning it. "Just give me one moment."

"This better take less than a moment," Tamara said through gritted teeth as enemies began to creep into the building. "What are these things?! They don't look natural!" Her voice pitched up as she saw the four-armed thing in front of her wielding two swords, and she fired off the rifle to watch it fall and keep her attackers at bay.

"That's one of the Fallen," the Ghost said. She shot down more of them as they started to close in around her. Reaction and instinct took over her conscious thoughts as she reached for her belt for her knife, and cursed loudly and impressively when she realized she no longer had it. Tamara opted for a swift punch and point blank shot for the enemy in front of her before deftly killing the ones flanking her.

The jumpship behind her roared to life. "Get in, _now_!" She jumped inside much faster than she thought she could - firing off a few more shots in midair - and it took off and away, weaving through the destroyed building frame. As they ascended from the wasteland, Tamara realized where she was.

"Could this really be Earth?" Her breath was taken away, and she pressed a hand to the glass of the windows. The terrain she knew had been green once was now barren. The buildings and vehicles were mere skeletons of the past. It was barely a whisper of what it had been; a haven for life was now the image of death.

Tamara remembered bits of her past; she had grown up here, and remembered when it started to fall apart, soon after the great orb they called the Traveler came to hang above Earth. She didn't, however, remember dying. She took off her gloves to look at her blue-grey hands and sighed. She had never been close to her Awoken kin in her old life - maybe it was being raised on Earth, and maybe she had just never liked how damned aloof they all were.

"The Collapse took away so much from this planet," her Ghost suddenly said in a sad tone as the ship took them up and away. "When the Darkness struck, it was all over. That's probably how you died, just like so many others."

Tamara crossed her arms and furrowed her brow. "Then where are we going? Where didn't this Darkness touch?"

The Ghost either didn't notice her demanding and accusing tone or just didn't comment. "We're going to the City. Hold tight, we'll be there soon. Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"I used the Traveler's Light to bring you back, and now you will use it to become a Guardian."

"A Guardian?" Tamara asked warily. Her first life wasn't exactly spent in the service of others. In fact, if she recalled correctly - and if she was honest with herself - she knew she spent many days stalking the land with a knife in her hand and gun at her side, killing for money; she knew she spent many nights trading her weapons for booze and dice and cards, reaping the wicked rewards of her trade. Living on the edge, savoring the danger and debauchery with no regrets, no remorse. She winced slightly to herself, and definitely felt both of those things. "I don't think I'm really cut out for being anyone's Guardian." She closed her eyes and tried to smother her doubts.

If it were possible for a robot to be exasperated, her Ghost was. "I know this whole thing is very new to you, but try to keep up. The Traveler's Light gave you a gift. If you want to survive, you need to use it." She heard a few beeps and mechanical whirs. "Alright, we're here. Come with me; you have a lot to do."

Tamara exited the jumpship and found herself outside and overwhelmed. She was in the center of a busy thoroughfare, surrounded by people in armor the likes of which she had never seen. There were Humans, Exos, and even some Awoken. A few gave her knowing looks, but most of them ignored her completely.

"Okay, you need to go down the stairs there in the center. It's time for you to meet everyone in the Vanguard and choose your path."

With wide glowing eyes, she began to walk towards the stairs, weaving between the others. She got a few tight smiles as she passed, but many refused to look at her, and if they did, it felt like they were getting her measure, sizing her up. She understood. She was an unproven stranger; nameless and worthless. Tamara paused briefly to admire the gleaming hand cannon strapped to someone's thigh. She let out a low whistle; it was like nothing she'd ever seen before. A shoulder slamming into her as it passed knocked her out of her reverie. She swore loudly, but looking back at the Guardian who had done it, she knew better than to start anything. He was a Human of strong build, with what had to be an entire arsenal strapped to him and his bulky armor.

Taking a deep breath, Tamara thrust her shoulders back and head high, and her lithe form began to descend the steps, following them down below. At the end of the hallway, she saw a table with three people. She walked towards them, mentally preparing herself. She jumped when she heard a deranged wail behind her about her Light, and something told her it was definitely better to avoid that bit of crazy until absolutely necessary.

The three people around the table all looked up at her when she walked down the last few steps towards them. The closest one, dark skinned Human in purple robes lifted an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes at Tamara. From the far end of the table, an Awoken man in shining and incredibly intimidating armor crossed his arms and sighed. After a split second silent communication, they both turned to look at the one in the middle, an Exo with a hooded cloak. He looked from one to the other, and started to speak before the woman cut him off in a stern tone.

"Cayde, this one is yours."

The Awoken looked her up and down again and nodded. "Yep, she's _definitely_ yours."

The Exo snorted, "Tch, how are you both so sure? I mean she could want to blindly slam things with her shoulders or throw some- yeah, no, looking at her, you're both right."

The Human and the Awoken exchanged a look and a smirk and then returned to whatever they were doing while the Exo turned to her.

"Right," he said, rolling his head on his neck. "So, you're the newest arrival. Let me guess, you're the lone wolf who lives and breathes for that perfect shot? You like to be completely lethal but keep that killer style?"

Tamara raised an eyebrow and gave him a roguish half smile. She was about to deliver a retort, but then he leveled his gaze on her and she lost it completely, though she maintained her wily smile and slightly tilted her head, causing strands of silvery hair to fall to frame her angular face.

"Yeah…" he said, stretching out the word, "that's what I thought. So I'm Cayde, and your new god."

The Human looked at him sharply. " _Cayde_."

Directing his glance at her, he spoke in a wry tone, "Fine, Ikora, just don't let me have any fun."

She sighed, shook her head, and looked back down at her books.

"Anyway," he continued, "you're a Hunter, and don't even ask me what that is. You _know_ what a Hunter is, because you've always been one. Now, I'm your mentor and I'm supposed to help you stay alive out there and show everyone why Hunters are the best Guardians there are."

Tamara noticed the Awoken man roll his eyes in the background.

"Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, what's your name?"

She smiled crookedly. "I'm Tamara Jerovai, devilish beauty and blade extraordinaire," she said with a sweeping bow and a smirk.

"Pretty cocky for being brought back to life less than 24 hours ago... I like that. Let's gear you up and get you on your feet." He walked over to grab a package for her: armor and a Hunter's hooded cloak, the mark of her class. A sheathed knife sat on top and she grinned. Tamara picked it up and drew the blade, the highly sharpened edge glinting a wicked promise. She had forgotten the feeling of a knife in her hand, and began to play with it, spinning it and tossing it with practiced ease, reveling in its deadly beauty and perfect balance.

"Woah, don't get ahead of yourself… though I do see some _very_ nice potential in you, Guardian," Cayde said, trying and failing to hide how impressed he was. He cleared his throat. "Right. Down to business. So, you need to get out there and fighting the Darkness... And all that good shit. First order of business, get you down to the Cosmodrome and get that ship up and running for you to do some work in the rest of the system."

Tamara rolled her shoulder and cracked her knuckles, full of renewed energy since getting a knife strapped back to her side.

"Just show me the way."


End file.
